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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23471803">Day 094</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard'>Josh_the_Bard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [94]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:22:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23471803</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jansen (Dragon Age)/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [94]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 094</h2></a>
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    <p>Jansen was almost passing out asleep on his feet when he finally made it home. All the money he had saved up was gone now, and he had been pulling longer shifts to try to save back up. The Bone Pit was terrifying during the day but it was a parade of horrors at night. Every noise sounded like a monster hiding in the darkness waiting to strike. Jansen knew the Pit was no darker at night than during the day, they were too deep for any sun to reach, but knowing there was no sun to return to made it worse.</p><p>He stumbled into the flophouse and silently tried to make his way to his bed.</p><p>“Where have you been,” Wanda hissed. Jansen looked at his wife, or he tried to. It was too dark inside to really see. </p><p>“At the mines,” he said. “I told you I would be later tonight.” His words came out harsher then he meant them and when he heard Wanda’s stifled sobs he deeply regretted them. “I’m sorry,” he said too late.</p><p>“Jansen, I can’t do this anymore,” she whispered. “You said your money lending was to help us. You said it would mean you would be in the city more and that you would be around more, but now you're never home and I’m all alone with Jansen jr. I tried to be strong for you, I know the mine is killing you inside but I can’t be alone anymore. I need you back.”</p><p>Jansen sat on the bed and embraced his family. The family he had not really seen in weeks. </p><p>“What am I supposed to do?” he asked. “We barely make enough for the two of us. If we’re going to take care of little Jr. I need to change something up. Tried and failed to be a moneylender, but I really did try.”</p><p>“I’m not saying you didn’t,” Wanda said. “I never said you didn’t try but that doesn't change the fact that you lost all the money.”</p><p>“Well what do you expect me to do about it now?” he demanded.</p><p>“I don’t know!” Wanda snapped. She quickly dropped her voice down to a whisper. “Everything is just really difficult and scary right now. I don’t know what to do but what you are doing isn’t enough.”</p><p>Jansen didn’t know what to say to that. He felt worthless. Back in Ferelden he never imagined he was destined for greatness, but he had thought he would at the very least be able to raise a happy family. Before the blight had forced them to flee, that had seemed like a dream within his grasp. Now he had failed the most important people in his life, what could he possibly say to that. He felt hot, stifled. Like he was trapped in a hole with fire closing in. He needed to get outside, he couldn’t stay in this crowded flophouse anymore.</p><p>Jansen got shakilly to his feet. Wanda reached for him but he stumbled away.</p><p>“Please don't leave,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said, I’m so sorry. Please don’t leave me alone.”</p><p>Jansen was starting to panic. He tried to tell her he just needed some fresh air and that he would be back in a moment but all that came out was a whimpered: “I’m sorry.” He stumbled outside and took a few steps down the street. </p><p>“This one looks drunk,” he heard a voice from behind him say. He whipped around to see two hooded figures slip out of an alley.</p><p>“It should be a relatively simple thing for you to take his mind,” said the same voice. The other one stepped forwards, bringing a blade across her palm and Jansen felt thoughts that weren’t his own worm their way into his mind. </p><p>“You will serve these mages,” said the voices. “Their need is great and you will be their servant as long as they have need of you. ”</p><p>Jansen had heard stories about blood mages that took the minds of their victims. He had heard Varric tell the story about Hawke rooting out a cabal of blood mages who were infiltrating the templars. He tried his best to fight against the voices in his mind, he knew that if he didn’t, he would never go back to Wanda and Jansen Jr. He would never get the chance to make things right with his family. He struggles to fight the fingers worming their way into his mind but slowly, piece by piece, control over his limbs was taken from him. He opened his mouth but said nothing. The hooded figures retreated back into the alley and Jansen followed, ready to serve their needs.</p>
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